Electric furnace



5 0 w x J e W f 5 5 5, a S b. 7 Z 4 m B mm AC H sm Rm m Run F June 5, 1951 Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC FURNACE Ralph R. Saifell, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application February 10, 1947, Serial No. 727,601

(Cl. 2l9--38) 1 Claim 1 My invention relates to heaters for dwellings, ofiices, factories, stores and so forth, in new buildings as well as old, using electric heating strips as heating elements, avoiding smoke, dust, odors and other discomforts connected with coal, oil or gas furnaces.

The heater is very neat, of simple design and permits of easy installation within wood or cement floors and is perfectly fire proof, since no fuel for Waste gas or smoke is needed.

Nobasement for storing the same is required for housing the heater and the heating element can be lifted right out of the casing for making electric connection by merely removing the grid or register covering the top of the heater and is flush with the floor, so that the heater is not visible above the same and takes up no space in the room.

The utility and advantages of this heating apparatus will be explained in the subjoined description with the aid of the attached drawing.

Like numerals denote the same details in the different views of the drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical section taken on a plane along line l-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a similar view taken along a plane along line 2-2 of Figure l Figure 3 is a top plan view of the heater with the grid lifted off as seen from a line 3-3 of Figure 1.

One embodiment of the invention is herein described and illustrated and the exterior housing rectangular in cross section, is denoted by numeral l0. Across each corner at the top of the housing is provided a bracket I l of band iron and secured by bolts l2 to the wall of the housing. Each bracket is provided with a notch, midway between its ends, intended for receiving projecting short lugs [3 provided at each corner of the heating unit I4.

The housing I0 is fabricated of heavy rust proof metal and is water proof. The brackets H are placed some distance below the top of the housing in order to provide an airspace between the grid or floor register l5 and the top end of the heating unit 14, when installed.

The grid or register [5 is preferably made of steel and finished in a light metallic color so as to harmonize with a cement or hardwood floor.

The heating unit [4, here shown of rectangular cross section and in the form of a vertical long chamber, as is also the housing I0, is hung on the corner pegs 13 from the brackets l l and made entirely of metal. It is of such dimensions as to leave a wide air space on all four sides as well as at top and bottom between itself and the enclosing housing itself 10. On all four sides at the top edge of the heating unit M is shown an upwardly narrowing collar [6, which is intended to lead the upflowing current of heated air centrally thru the grid or register l5 and direct unheated or colder air down around the sides of the unit M.

The entire inside wall surfaces of the heating unit are covered with asbestos wool or similar heat insulating material H, in order to retain the heat within said unit chamber, and on the otherwise open bottom end of the chamber is placed a bottom layer of asbestos at l8, thru which the incoming air must pass before entering the said chamber.

Across the top and bottom ends is placed a series of flat bars 20 equally spaced apart to allow for the free upward movement of air between them as indicated by arrows Y. Between each top and bottom pair of bars 20 is suspended a heating element strip 2|, preferably of the kind called long life heating strips as manuf actured by the General Electric Co.

In order to supply electric current to these heating strips 2|, conductors covered by asbestos or other insulation material are connected by leads 22a to the line wires as indicated at 22 near the upper end of the housing I0. A current of from 1000 to 7000 watts is carried on the line for heating the electric strips.

All terminals of the heating strips 2| are located at the lower end of the heater at 22 and then in turn connected by heavy copper wires, which are silver soldered to the strip terminals, Where current is received from said insulated conductors from the electric supply line wires.

By this arrangement of all connections near the bottom of the housing Ill, the heat elements may easily be removed for cleaning and repair, without disconnecting any of the wiring.

Standard thermostatic, automatic controls are provided.

After having been installed to heat a room with its register level with the floor, the heater is started by a finger tip switch control on a wall near by. A stream of cold air from the floor then proceeds downwardly, in the direction of arrows X, thru the marginal opening of the grid and space 23 between the side walls l! of the heating unit chamber and the housing l0. Thereupon the cold air flow passes upwardly thru the asbestos bottom l8 between the bars 20, and then inside the chamber of the heating unit It, and along 3 the heating strips 2|, as indicated by arrows Y, thus absorbing heat and then thru the collar l6 and the inner rows of grid openings into the room.

Instead of placing the grid or register [5 flush on the floor of the room, it may be put upright on the wall, wherein the heater is deposited back of the grid in the wall.

It is to be understood that the invention as herein disclosed may be varied from the details described and shown without departure from the spirit of the subjoined claim.

I claim:

An electric heater comprising an outer housing open at one end only, a grid over said open end, a tubular heating chamber open at both ends and mounted Within said housing in spaced relation with the walls thereof to provide an air space around the chamber, a collar at the exit opening of said chamber for narrowing flow of heated air from said chamber to the central grid openings and for directing the flow of cold air through the grid into the space in the housing surrounding 4 the heating chamber and toward that open end of the heating chamber remote from the grid, electric heating means in said chamber for heating the air flowing outwardly through the chamber, and a filter element covering the inlet end of said heating chamber.

RALPH R. SAFFELL.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,444,621 Lynn et al. Feb, 6, 1923 1,596,141 Baugh Aug. 17, 1926 1,610,116 Woods et a1 Dec. 7, 1926 1,619,425 Levesque et a1. Mar. 1, 1927 1,664,171 Hicks Mar. 27, 1928 1,934,565 Siers Nov. 7, 1933 2,132,263 Hambleton Oct. 4, 1938 2,242,630 Steingruber May 20, 1941 

